EEPTILES OP BRITISH BIRMA. 37 



Family LYCODONTIDiE. 

 Lycodon, Boie. 



L. AULICUS, L. 



Generally diffused tlirough Pegu and Teuasserim. 



Teteagonosoma, Giinther. 

 T. ATROPUiirUEEUM, Cantor * *, 

 Mergui. 



Family XENOPELTIDJE. 



Xenopeltis, Beinwardt. 

 X. uNicoLOE, Eoin. 



Colour aboYe, when alive, uniform steel-blue ; beautifully iri- 

 descent. The ground-colour is dark-brown, as described by 

 Giinther; but during life the prevailing hue is intense blue, wliich 

 fades soon after immersion in spirits. Beneath white. Scuta 

 dark-edged. In youug specimens a white collar. 

 a. Adult. 33ody .... 30-25 



Tail .... 2-75 =33-00 



This snake is common in Lower Pegu and the Tenasserira Pro- 

 vinces, and is very malignly beautiful, though of repulsive phy- 

 siognomy. The skin is loose and tbick. Its habits are nocturnal. 

 The following illustrates its ferocious nature : — I once remarked 

 a Ptyas mucosa some 5 feet in length, in the hedge of the Circuit" 

 house of Bassein. On running downstairs, the snake had 

 vanished, but in- searchiug I saw its tail sticking out of a hole 

 beneath a wooden plant-case. Do wliat I might, I could not drag 

 it out, as it seemed held fast within. I therefore with some 

 trouble overturned the plant-case, and then saw that tlie unlucky 

 Btyas was firmly pinned by a large Xenopeltis, into whose hole 

 it had unwittingly entered. The XenopeUis seemed about 4 feet 

 in length, but, on perceiving itself uncovered, released its hold of 

 the Btyas and made its escape. 



Family PYTHONIDvE. 

 Python, Bawdin. 



P. IIETICULATTJS, Schn. 



a. Half-grown a.nimal. Body . . . 132-25 



Tail . . . 12-40= 144-65. 

 Colour during life clear grey, superbly reticulated with black, 



